NEWS BRIEFS
NEWS BRIEFS
New knee code at work
Synvisc (hylan G-F 20), treatment for osteoar thritis of the knee, is reimbursable under HCPCS code J-7320 effective Jan. 1.
According to Endre A. Balazs, MD, chief executive officer of Biomatrix Inc., the drug’s maker, "Receipt of a unique HCPCS code for our patent-protected Synvisc is a very important achievement. It signifies that Synvisc is recognized as a unique viscosupplementation device with physical properties that distinguish it from other generic hyaluronan products." Synvisc is marketed by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories.
Prostate procedure approved
VidaMed Inc. of Freemont, CA, has announced that, effective immediately, Los Angeles-based Medicare carrier Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company has begun reimbursing its TUNA (Transurethral Needle Ablation) procedure, a minimally invasive treatment of symptoms associated with enlarged prostate disease, or benign prostatic hyperplasia. The reimbursement policy approval covering TUNA, Final Local Medical Review Policy #98.5-6E, was published in Transamerica’s December 1998 newsletter.
VidaMed says it hopes to be approved for Medicare reimbursement in northern California in the near future.
Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.